The present invention is directed, in general, to wireless massaging systems and methods of operating the same, and, in particular, to a system and method for retrieving and displaying paging messages.
The demand for better and cheaper wireless telecommunication services and equipment continues to grow at a rapid pace. Part of this demand includes wireless message paging devices, which have become ubiquitous in society. Traditional one-way wireless message receiving devices (or xe2x80x9cpagesxe2x80x9d) are giving way to newer two-way message paging devices. Additionally, the types of messages that may be sent to a page have expanded from short telephone number messages to include longer alphanumeric messages, faxes, graphics, e-mail, and even voice messages. In some systems, wireless messages may comprise an alphanumeric or voice message to which an electronic file, such as a text document, may be attached.
Despite the wider use of higher precision electronics, the implementation of time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), and code division multiple access (CDMA) technologies, and the advent of narrow band PCS services, traditional problems associated with wireless massaging still persist. Message pages are frequently not delivered to a subscriber. Part of the reason for this is that the subscriber may occasionally turn off the subscriber""s message paging device. But it is also true that RF signal obstructions, RF noise and multipath delay fading are significant hindrances to wireless massaging systems.
A number of technologies and/or services have attempted to overcome problems associated with the non-delivery of wireless messages. In some systems, a subscriber may call into a service by telephone and recall the last message page sent to the subscriber""s paging device. In other systems, undelivered message pages may be sent to the subscriber by means of an e-mail system. This type of system requires the subscriber to maintain an e-mail account and is of limited use in listening to voice messages.
The above-described systems and services designed to overcome the non-delivery of wireless messages are intended for use by a massaging system subscriber. These services are provided as part of the service package for which the subscriber pays. But, if a subscriber does not regularly check the subscriber""s messages, these services are of limited use in any event.
A caller who sends a message to a subscriber frequently has no way of knowing whether or not the message is ever received. Some wireless massaging systems allow a caller to verify the status of a previously sent message. Each message that is sent to a subscriber is given an identification (ID) number, which the caller must write down or memorize. Later, the caller may call the message paging system and request verification of the status of an earlier message. The system then prompts the caller for the ID number of the message. After the caller enters the ID number, the system gives the caller a status message, such as xe2x80x9cDelivered,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cNot Delivered,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cResponse Received,xe2x80x9d or the like.
These systems have numerous limitations. A caller that sends a large number of messages must memorize a large number of message ID numbers, or keep written records of all of the message ID numbers. Even, if the subscriber does record all message ID numbers, the caller still cannot rapidly retrieve the status of the messages. The caller must enter the ID number of each message in order to learn its status.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for an improved wireless communication system that allows a caller to accurately track all of the wireless messages sent by that caller. In particular, there exists a need in the art for an improved wireless message distribution system that maintains a database containing all of the wireless messages sent by a caller and that allows the caller to rapidly access all of those messages at will. More particularly, there exists a need in the art for an improved wireless message distribution system that allows a caller to retrieve from a database and display in a convenient format on a computer screen status messages concerning all wireless messages previously sent by that caller.
The limitations inherent in the prior art described above are overcome by an improved message tracking system, for use in a wireless massaging system, capable of allowing a caller to verify a status of at least one wireless message sent to at least one subscriber of the wireless massaging system. In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the message tracking system comprises: 1) a first input/output (I/O) interface capable of receiving a message status request from the caller; and 2) a message status controller coupled to the first I/O interface capable of determining an identity of the caller from identification data received from the caller, retrieving a data record associated with the caller, the data record containing status information associated with the at least one wireless message, and transferring to the caller selected status data associated with a first selected one of the at least one wireless message.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the message tracking system further comprises a database coupled to the message tracking system capable of storing the at least one wireless message.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the tracking system requires the caller to enter a password prior to transferring to the caller the selected status data associated with the first selected wireless message.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, the first I/O interface is capable of receiving from the caller an incoming message directed to a selected subscriber of the wireless massaging system.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the message tracking system further comprises a second I/O interface capable of sending the received incoming message to an RF transceiver facility operable to wirelessly transmit the received incoming message to a paging device of the selected subscriber.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the message tracking system further comprises an incoming wireless message controller capable of determining an identity of the caller from identification data contained in the received incoming message.
In a still further embodiment of the present invention, the message tracking system is capable of receiving from the RF transceiver facility a response message responsive to a transmission to the paging device of the received incoming message.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the message status request is received from a public telephone system.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the message status request is received from a wide area network.
The foregoing summary of the invention outlines, rather broadly, some advantageous features of various embodiments of the present invention so that those of ordinary skill in the art may better understand the detailed description that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereafter that form the subject matter of the claims of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed invention and specific embodiments as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention in its broadest form.
Before undertaking the detailed description, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms xe2x80x9cincludexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccomprise,xe2x80x9d as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term xe2x80x9cor,xe2x80x9d is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases xe2x80x9cassociated withxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cassociated therewith,xe2x80x9d as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, be a property of, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like; and the term xe2x80x9ccontrollerxe2x80x9d means any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware or software, or some combination of at least two of the same. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases.